Hi all if you guys and girls had a hundred thousand cash to buy land and start up an orgainic or grass based livestock business in New York where would you do it and why? As I have stated before in another post I will be getting married in the next year and my wife to be and I would like to move into the country and start raising our family. She will most likely be working off the farm in the beginning. We will be also coming into some money soon and would like to start looking into buying our dream place and hopefully have it payed off by the time we get to move there in about 2 years. We would like NY but may consider other areas which would be at most six hour from long island where we have family and freinds who would not mind making the trip. Thanks for any help you could offer and maybe some leads to real estate in these areas. Thanks Again, John
I think you should consider moving 6 hours south where it is warmer and the growing seasons longer if you want to do the grass/cattle thing. I do year around rotational grazing here in NC. Currently I have approximately 147 head of Angus and thus far this year I have only fed 9 round bales of hay. This feeding occurred durning an ice storm. Just yesterday I moved the cattle to the last of the stockpiled grass pasture that has not been grazed this winter. I have pasture that was grazed in early Dec. that has grown some during the warmer days. This will be fed next. Already I see the wild onions coming up and I can see the pastures greening as we approach Spring. I have not always used the rotational grazing technique but now that I have I am convinced this is the optimum method to produce beef. My cattle do not know what grain is! Other than the costs of ownership of the land, some fertilizer for the pasture, minerals for the cattle and some insecticide for flys and parasite control, I have not other expenses to speak of. The opportunity for profit is enhanced accordingly.
Land prices have escalated to where it is cost prohibitive to buy farm land here where I live and farm. I have a timber holding in the Lake Gaston area of Virginia off I-85 and that is within commuting distance of Roanoke, that is an area that I would consider. Eastern NC has land that is affordable for farm use also. Not promoting anything but to give you an idea look here... http://www.carolinaforestry.com/ In Virginia, International Paper has been selling off some nice tracts that could be converted to a grass cattle operation. Weyerhaeuser also is selling acreage. I saw a large tract that would have been an ideal cattle operation sell for $600 per acre in the southcentral portion of Virginia. Only drawback would be lack of off farm work for some professions.
If you are teachers check out southeast AZ. The district is always looking for good ones. Land and farms are cheap with adequate water.
I hate to be so negative, but have you really thought about investing so heavily in a market that fluctuates readily? I really doubt that we have seen the last of BSE, mad cow disease, here in the United States. If people get frightened enough they will stop eating beef and leave you without a market. I really don't think they will care whether the beef is organically grown or not. By saying livestock you may not mean cattle. Just one more item to think about in the total equation of a future business.
Where isn't the big question. 100,000 isn't going to buy a farm and put you in the livestock business anywhere I can think of. There's a whole lot more involved than just a grassy piece of land.
I suggest you contact the following group: Regional Farm & Food Project 148 Central Ave. 2nd flr. Albany, NY 12206 518-427-6537 The local organic beef farmers can't grow enough to supply all the NYC restaurants that want it. I am not sure if you have enough money to start, but this group should be able to put you in touch with NY Organic beef farmers who can give you the real numbers. Good Luck.
That above poster is me (I just can't stay registered for some reason) - Lil O' if you want to contact me for more NY growers info you can do so at www.catskillnativenursery.com
Thank you all again for your responces if I liked them or not. Just kidding... Anyway the 100 grand would be for land and residence only not for the start up cost. I see that I didnt really make myself to clear. I would like to know where a good place or places so I could start to investagate some possibilities. I know it sounds crazy especially if you knew me. But I want the big change and I will do what ever it takes to succeed. I also know that there are risks involved in this but what better to do then made a dream reality.. John
